US imports of all sawn hardwood fell one third from December 2015 to January 2016. 53,221 cu.m. of sawn hardwood were imported in January worth US$33 million.
Tropical sawnwood imports declined 30% in January to 14,524 cu.m. Tropical sawnwood accounted for 27% of all sawn hardwood imports in January, compared to 23% in 2015 for the entire year.
The only tropical species to gain significantly in January was keruing. Keruing imports recovered from low volumes last December and reached 1,699 cu.m. in January.
Imports of meranti sawnwood increased to 876 cu.m., but imports of all other major species declined in January. Balsa imports were down 29% (3,686 cu.m.). Sapelli posted the smallest decline from the previous month at 2,328 cu.m. (-7%).
Imports from Brazil fell by one third the previous month due to lower US imports of ipe and jatoba in January. Cameroon’s shipments to the US grew 17% month-on month.
Sapelli imports from Cameroon increased to 1,026 cu.m. despite an overall decline in sapelli imports in January. Acajou d’Afrique imports from Cameroon were also slightly up from December at 753 cu.m.
Sawnwood imports from Malaysia more than tripled in January, but December imports had been exceptionally low. In January the US imported a total of 1,806 cu.m. from Malaysia, including 1,336 cu.m. of keruing.
Tropical imports from all other major suppliers were down in January, both compared to the previous month and to January 2015.
| Source of Sawn Hardwoods | January 2016 cubic meters | Change in % on December 2015 |
| Ecuador | 3,686 | -27% |
| Brazil | 2,078 | -33% |
| Cameroon | 1,954 | 17% |
| Malaysia | 1,806 | 236% |
| Congo (Brazzaville) | 905 | -60% |
| Peru | 34 | -82% |
| Indonesia | 894 | -22% |
| Ghana | 504 | -13% |
| Cote d'Ivoire | 386 | -16% |
Source: US Department of Commerce, US Census Bureau, Foreign Trade Statistics
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